Design and Ideas

Six Reasons to Paint Before You Move In

June 01, 2013

Moving to a new house, condo, or apartment this summer? Before filling your home with furnishings, there's something you might want to do first: paint. Experts of every stripe – from realtors to authorities on painting -- say that one of the very best times to do interior painting is just before moving into a new home. Here are six reasons why, according to Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert for the Paint Quality Institute:

Reason #1.It's easy now. Interior painting is a very simple project – and not at all physically demanding -- when you can move freely within a room. Why wait till later when you may have to move heavy furniture from side to side, or work around big items, to do your painting?

Reason #2.It saves time. Painting can take a lot longer when you have to cover and uncover things, move them back and forth, and take down and re-hang artwork. It's better to paint just before moving and short-circuit these time-consuming and unproductive steps.

Reason #3.It can save you money – lots of it. If you're using a professional painting contractor, he or she can complete the work far faster in rooms that are empty. That's extremely important, since time charges for labor typically account for 80% of the cost of painting, according to Zimmer. “Bottom line: Calling in a contractor before moving into a home can drastically lower the cost of painting the space,” she says.

Reason #4.It safeguards your furnishings. No matter how carefully you or your contractor work, there is always the chance of a paint spill, or a few stray flecks finding their way onto a prized possession. Painting before bringing in your furnishings keeps these items out of harm's way.

Reason #5.It can simplify interior decorating. Don't yet have your furnishings? There's no better way to set the stage for your décor than by adding a fresh paint color scheme before decorating. Doing so greatly simplifies the selection of new furniture, carpeting, and accents, allowing you to choose just the right tints, tones, and shades to make your new home picture perfect.

Reason #6.It feels good. Adding a new coat of paint makes any home seem cleaner, fresher, more welcoming, and best of all. . .more “yours”. To keep your paint job looking great, Zimmer recommends the use of top quality 100% acrylic latex paint; it will produce a more stain resistant finish that will look new-home fresh for years to come.

As you can see, there are a lot of good reasons to think about painting even before you move into your new abode. If you're sold on the idea, you can find all sorts of color tips and how-to information at blog.paintquality.com or on the Paint Quality Institute's website at www.paintquality.com.

About the PAINT QUALITY INSTITUTE℠

The Paint Quality Institute was formed in 1989 to educate people on the advantages of using quality interior and exterior paints and coatings. The Paint Quality Institute's goal is to provide information on the virtues of quality paint as well as color trends and decorating with paint through a variety of vehicles, including television appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, and instructional literature. Please be sure to visit the Paint Quality Institute atwww.paintquality.com. PAINT QUALITY INSTITUTE and PAINTQUALITY.COM are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.